1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for separating flowable and non-flowable constituents mixed with each other, particularly for the purpose of preparation of foodstuffs.
Working in a continuous processing, such apparatuses serve, e.g. to obtain sausage stuffing for sausage production from a tendon-meat mixture, to mash or cream boiled potatoes, and to recover incorrectly packed butter and cheese, as well as contents of yoghurt cups, stated briefly, to carry out multiple mashing processes aside from the separating processes.
2. Prior Art
An apparatus serving these purposes can be taken e.g. from DL-PS 96 155 and includes at least a separating drum being driven to rotate and an elastic presser belt. The drum is formed as a hollow cylinder with a discharge end and has a perforated circumferential surface. The belt encompasses the separating drum on a part of its circumference, is arranged to be pressed against the circumferential surface through tensioning and presser means, rotates essentially synchronously with regard to said circumferential surface, and is guided between two side walls. It constitutes, together with the circumferential surface of the drum, an entry wedge into which the substance to be processed is delivered. This wedge is bounded laterally by means of the side walls, at least one of which is penetrated by the discharge end of the separating drum leaving a narrow sealing gap.
The method of operation of this apparatus is uncomplicated and the results thereof are excellent, however, a system-related, disadvantageous effect consists in that in the region of the hollow cylinder encompassed by the presser belt, losses due to leakage occur. The reason therefor is the quasi-hydraulic pressure on the material to be processed in this region, which pressure is produced between the separating drum and the pressure belt by the pressure of the latter on the separating drum, and leads to a non-avoidable lifting of the presser belt in its marginal regions and thus to a lateral draining of the material to be processed through the sealing gap between the separating drum and the side wall. The material escaping consequently beside the separating drum is so affected with regard to quality, that it can no longer be used.
In DE-PS 2 159 465, a measure is described which is, among other things, aimed at diminishing this loss. This measure lies in the arrangement of skid-shaped belt pressers in the marginal areas of the presser belt in the region in which the pressure belt encompasses the separating drum. Thus, a certain reduction of the leakage flow is achieved, however, the result is dissatisfactory with regard to the degree of improvement and also because now, increased belt wear occurs in the supporting regions of the belt pressers.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is the main object of the present invention to suggest a concept of an apparatus which effectively and substantially eliminates the leakage of material to be processed. Simultaneously, it is another major object of the invention to avoid that such concept has any negative influence on the wear behaviour of any machine parts.